Dover Athletic 0 Weston-super-Mare 1 match report: Whites lose again in National League South despite assistant Jake Leberl’s return as Dayle Grubb gets the only goal at Crabble

The wait for Dover Athletic’s second National League South success this season goes on after they were edged out by Weston-super-Mare on Saturday.

Recently-appointed Jake Leberl's return as Whites' assistant didn’t prove a happy one on the pitch as Dayle Grubb got the only goal in the first half of a largely uninspiring affair and it finished 1-0.

It means struggling Dover are winless in the league since their second match of the campaign and haven’t won at Crabble in National League South since February 28. They visit basement boys Havant in a massive match at the foot of the table next weekend.

Someone in the away dug-out received the first caution from referee Michael Robertson-Tant in the sixth minute amid an eventful opening which Weston-super-Mare shaded in front of a crowd of 532 at Crabble.

Midway through the first period, Dover striker Dontai Stewart dragged wide after visiting defender Lloyd Humphries failed to properly clear Whites keeper Billy Terrell’s huge clearance.

But the visitors finally created a clear-cut chance on 34 minutes which led to them taking the lead. Left-back Jordan Bastin crossed for his captain Grubb, who fired past Terrell for his third goal this season.

Four minutes later, Mitch Brundle’s men went close to a leveller. Iffy Allen produced a good right-wing run and crossed, only for fellow midfielder Josh Anifowose to volley over.

But the away team appeared in cruise control at this stage and the half-time whistle was greeted by little other than a smattering of boos.

Whites manager Brundle, supported on the sidelines by recently-appointed assistant Leberl, made a double half-time substitution. That saw Paris Lock and Zidan Sutherland come on for Allen and Luke Pearce.

Opportunities at